Faux or Fresh, Foods and Ideas

I have been reviewing parts of Jessica Black's book, The Anti-inflammatory Diet and Recipe Book regarding the elements to avoid and include in an anti-inflammatory food regimen.  Along with this book and the multitude of research articles I've read, the main focus is to eat fresh organic fruits and vegetables,  along with whole grains, lean meats and rich omega 3 fatty fish. The success of this diet lies in avoiding all processed food and drink. Often dairy, wheat and corn products are also recommended to be eliminated from your diet for their inflammatory properties.

I believe it's always important for you to discuss changes in your diet and nutrition with your health care provider, especially if you have serious health issues. Often physicians don't have a lot of nutritional training, but they can refer you to a nutritionist or dietician. I encourage proactive education before talking with your healthcare provider. By doing your due diligence of reading and research, you can be more effective in discussing your symptoms and desired outcomes.

Setting goals and then checking back in a few weeks to see how those goals are working out is a helpful tool to use with your healthcare provider. Modifications can be made and re-evaluated over and over until real success is achieved.

I encourage you to look into getting the support you need to aid in promoting your  health and well being. It's hard to change life long behaviors, but if you are experiencing an increase in health related problems - it's worth looking into the options of learning new behaviors that can benefit you.

Thanks for checking in today - and I wish you all the best 'fresh foods' have to offer. May they nourish every cell of your being with needed nutrients.

The Green Facts

Today we are hearing more and more about being GREEN.  We are asked to consider making our carbon footprint less by walking, biking, taking mass transit or purchasing vehicles which are GREEN. We are suppose to bring our own bags to the grocery store and not use plastic ones, to keep our earth more GREEN.

I'd like to expand upon eating GREEN, dark leafy greens, that is. Why? Because they are a great source of nutrients our bodies desperately need. There are 3 basic groups of leafy greens.

Salad greens - these are normally eaten raw. The darker the color, the more nutrients in them. When using salad dressings, choose one that is high in Omega 3's - like an olive oil base, or make your own. Put dressing ingredients directly onto the greens and toss. Start with a vinaigrette, (rice vinegar, balsamic, or lemon juice), add a little olive oil and fresh herbs, a little sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

Quick cooking greens - these greens can be eaten raw or lightly cooked. Spinach is a familiar vegetable in this group, but others include multiple varieties of chard, beet greens, and members of the broccoli/cabbage/cauliflower family. Some of these greens shrink drastically when cooked. 6 cups of fresh spinach become 1 cup cooked. This can pack a lot of nutrients into your body very quickly!

Hearty greens - like kale and collard greens require more cooking time, mainly because they are more fibrous. These greens are not eaten raw because of their toughness. However by cutting the stems from the leaves, you can reduce cooking time by more than half.

The nutritional value of greens is HUGE. They are flavorful and contain a high percentage of Vitamin A, C, E and K, Calcium, Iron, Folate, Omega 3 fatty acids, anti-carcinogens, and are super high in protein per calorie.  These nutrients assist with mental functions, help to prevent osteoporosis, macticular degeneration, premature aging and cancer, as well as they help to flush out toxins in the digestive system and reduce the risks of coronary heart disease.  If you want to feel good and put a lot of nutrients in your body ~ choose GREENS!